Lamp-socket attachment device



March 30 19260 C. W. HOUGH LAMP SOCKET ATTACHMENT DEVICE Filed Sept. 2'7, 1922 2 Sheets$heet 1 INVENTOR ZLJ A TTOR NE Y March 30 Q 1926.

C. W. HOUGH LAMP SOCKET ATTACHMENT DEVICE Filed Sept. 27. 1922 2 Sheets-Shet 2 0 U a 4 J I I INVENTOR WWW Maw Mum A TTORNEY U NITED S} TATES CLINTON W. I-IOTJ'GrH, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

BOONV ILL-E, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY IYIESNE ASSIGN- MENIS, TO VIIRED RADIO INQ, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- W'ARE.

Application filed September 27,1922.

To all u: 710m it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLIN'roN XV. Horton, a citizen of the United States, residing at lioonville, in the county of Oneida, State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lamp-Socket Attachment Devices; and I do hereby declare the following ,to be a full, clean'and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert-ains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to lamp socket attachment devices for connecting radio or carrier current or so-called wired wireless, apparatus to electric light or power lines.

Lamp socket devicesembodying iixed condensers for adapting electric light lines for use with radio antenna: have heretofore been constructed, but it has been found that in order to obtain the best results with these devices, the capacity of the condenser must be suited quite exactly to theconstants of the particular line to which it is connected, and, as is well known, fixed condensers do not readily lend themselves tov adjustment.

. The principal object of the present invention is, therefore, the provision of a lamp socket device for ,the purpose above mentioned having variable capacity whereby it may be readily adjusted to obtain the best results on any lighting or power line to which it may be connected.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the above-men tioned character having a lamp socket as well as plug so that the radio or wired wireless receiving equipment may be connected in without interfering with the lighting arrangements. lliis is particularly advans tageous where the room in which the radio equipment is installed is provided with only one lamp socket. 1

To theseends a device-in accordance with the preferred form of the invention com prises a screw plug designed to fit astvandard lamp socket, a socket designed to .receive a standard lamp base, a core of in? saluting. ma r al o h c bo h-th P ug and socket are attached, and a variable cone denser,one-plate of which may form a connecting link between the plug and socket. r ablendenser, a in th usual tyne, comprises one or more fixed-platesan'd oranore movable plates, and a s-uitable bind;

post ortheli; c, 15,1;

LAMP- 30018113? ATTAQHM'EIJT DEVICE.

Serial No. 590,797.

to the movable plate or plates by which connection may be made with the receiving ap-.

parat-us.

Another contemplated form of the invention is a device similar to that pre *iously described but embodying a fixed condenser or condensers instead of a variable condenser, as in the preferred form. This latter structure, like the former, includes a plug and lamp socket, so that it may be used without interfering with lighting facilities. I

in transmitting wired wireless signals over electric lighting circuits usually one side only of the line is employed, the return path being by wayof ground. It therefore becomes necessary to arrange the device so that the condenser or condensers may be connected to either side of the line. This is due to the fact that the lamp socket (not the socket included in the device) tern1inals are connected to the lighting wires arbitrarily-there being no requirement or necessity with regard to the respective ter ininals of the sockets being connected to any particular side of the lighting circuit. For this reason the lamp socket device of the present invention is preferably made in two separate parts, one of which includes the plug, and the other the lamp socket, together with a condenser or condensers. The latter portion may be connected to the former by a simple insertion of its terminals into an aperture or apertures provided in the plug portion as in plugs ordinarily used on extension cords and the like, and, as will be seen, such an arrangement permits the connections to be readily reversed. l-lowever, it has been found that the frictional engagemcntbetween the two parts of the device, while ordinarily sufiicent to holdthem together, is not particularly dependable where any appreciable loal is like ly to be imposed upon the cord and where. as inthe present instance, a lamp may be broken as a result of the two parts of the device being accidentally pulled apart.

With the object of obviating this possibility, thepresent invention includes as one of its features means for positively securing the two parts of the device together so that they cannot be pulled apart by any force which is likely to be applied in ordinary us- .Qne imnlest e pe e s i ae cercianee with thi phase; otrthe winventiei consists in using one or more locking screws arranged to engage a groove or grooves in the inserted terminal or terminals. The locking screws may be, and are preferably, provided with, beads of insulating material, so that there is no danger of the operators hand being connected with a live conductor.

Other features of the invention are to be found in the detailed construction of the several devices described hereinafter, and will be apparent from the description.

In the drawings accompanying this specification Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a lamp socket attachment device in accord ance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the device shown in cross section in Fig. '1;

Fig. 3 is a crosssectional view along the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. l is an enlarged fragmentary section of the device shown in Figs. 2 and F 5 is a. longitudinal section of an alternative structure in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the structure shown in Fig.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of another alternative construction showing a two-part device;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of another alternative structure including fixed instead of variable condensers;

Fig. 10 is a cross section taken along the line 10-1O of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a cross section line 1111 of Fig. 9.

The devices of Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive are of unit construction, that is they are not so arranged that they may be taken apart and the connections through the condensers reversed, as in thedevices of Figs. 7 toll inclusive. v

In the structure shown in Figs. 1, Q, 3, and 4, core 1 is of insulating material such as porcelain. On the upper end of the core 1 is a two-conductor plug comprising the taken along the threaded metal sleeve 2 which forms one conductor, and the rod .3, which extends through the core and is provided with a head 3 atits lower end and a nut 4 at its upper end. The sleeve 2 is designed to screw into a standard lamp socket of the wellknown type. To the lower end of the core 1 there is attached a threaded metal sleeve 5 designed to receive the base of a standard incandescent lamp bulb in the manner of an ordinary lamp socket. The sleeve 5 and head 3 of the rod 3 provide contacting media for the lamp. Integral with the sleeve 2 is a semi-cylindrical metallic portion 6 constituting a. fixed condenser plate. The sleeve '5 is connected with the condenser P t 6 y wa a a metall t p r as 7. Thus it will be seen that sleeves 2 and 5 are electrically connected through the condenser plate 6.

A semi-cylindrical metallic plate 8 is disposed coaxially with the fixed plate 6 and insulated therefrom by means of a member 9 of fibre or other suitable insulating material. The upper edge portion 9' of the memher 9 is folded back, as is more clearly shown in Fig. 4, to form a channel in which the plate 8 is slidably retained. The thickness of the member 9 may be, and is preferably, very much thinner than illustrated. The movable plate 8 is movablethrough an angle of 180, and is shown in the position of maximum capacity in Fig. 3. The binding post 10 is secured to the movable plate and is adapted to be operated not only as a. binding post for effecting connections be tween the movable plate and the radio apparatus, but also as a handle for adjusting the movable plate. The entire device with the exception of the movable plate is enclosed within a metal casing comprising parts 11. and 12, which are secured together by means of screws 13. The metal casing is separated from the other metallic portions of the device by means of suitably shaped insulators 14: and 15, anda slot 11 is provided in the part 11 to permit the necessary movement of binding post 10.

lVhile in the device of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 only One fixed and one movable condenser plate are shown, it will be obvious that a device of the same character may be readily designed having a greater number of condenser plates, and such a device is within the spirit and scope of this invention.

In the alternative structure of Figs. 5 and 6 the metal socket sleeve 16 functions as a fixed condenser plate in addition to operating in the usual manner as in a lamp socket. A tube of insulating material 17 encloses the sleeve 16 and is secured in any suitable manner to the core 18. The movable condenser plate in the form of a cylindrical sleeve .19 is mounted on the outside of the tube 17 and coaxially therewith, and is pro vided with apunched out finger portion 19, which is arranged to press against the tube 17. The condenser plate 19 is slidable along the tube 17, and by virtue of the finger 19' will remain in any position in which it is set. It will be seen that the movable plate 19 is shown in its position of minimum capacity. Vhen the latter plate is moved into its lower'most position the maximum capacity is obtained. Any capacity between the maximum and minimum limits may thus be readily obtained by simply adjusting the position of the condenser plate 19. The separation between condenser plate 19 and tube 17 shown at the right of Fig. 5 is greatv'lv exaggerated for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the finger 19, In pr tice this separation would be 'very slight. The socket sleeve 16 and plug sleeve 20 are electrically connected by means of a metal strip 21, which is riveted to socket sleeve 16 and preferably soldered to the plug sleeve 20. The binding post 22 is provided for cstablishing connections with the radio or wired wireless r ceiving apparatus.

The alternative structure of Figs. 7 and 8 is a two-part device of which the upper or plug portion comprises a porcelain core 23, a threaded metal sleeve 2st secured to the core 23, and ametal tip embedded in the end of the. core 23; A pair of contact springs 26 and 27 having their ends suitably formed, as shown, are einljiedded in the porcelain core 23, and'extend into the recess. 23. These contact springsare' connected respectively to sleeve 2-1. andthe tip by suitable conductors. The lower portion of the device coinprisesa. porcelain core 28 into which are embeddcda pair of metal plug. 29 and 30. the ends or which are suit-ably torined to co operatewith the "free ends of the contact springs 26 and 27 in'such a way that the tension of the latterv springs tends to hold the plugs in engagement therewith and consequently to hold the two parts of the device t )gether. Each of the plugs 29 and 30 is provided with a V'shaped groove suitably disposed to be engaged by the pointed ends of the locking 31 and These locking screws are preferably provided with heads of vulcanized rubberor other suitable insulating material to protect the operator from connecting with a live conductor. ll ith the lower portion of thedevice engaged with the upper portionas shown; and the two locking screws adjusted to engage the plugs as illustrated, thetwo parts are firmly secured together .and cannot be separated by any ordinary force which is likely to be applied. The condenser element of the present device. comprises the metal socket sleeve tunctioningas a l IXBCl condenser plate, and the adjustable plate 35, which is arranged for longitudinal. movement and may be provided with a springfinger similar to 19 in The two condenser plates and 35 are insulated by a thin "tube 36, which may suitably be. of fibre or other insulating material. The metal tip 37 is also embedded in the core. 28 to provide a contact for a lamp; bleeve 33 is connected with plug 29 by conductor 314, which may be of wire, and tip 37 is connected to plug 30 by conductor 38, which may also be of wire. it will be seen that by withdrawing the lowerportion of the device the connection may ee-reversed. That is to say, plug 29 may be connected with contact spring?! and like vise plug 30- ,.connected with contact spring '26. Thus the.

fixed plate of thecondenser may be connectt e t e Si e O th a ie ate-cu The striticture of ,9, 10 and l is similar to devices have heretofore been proposed in that it utilizes fixed instead of variable ccrulensers, but ditl'ers from prior structures by the provision oil a lamp socket which makes it unnec to disrupt the lighting itacilitiesot a room when using the device. The upper or plug portion (it this stri'icture coinprir. a core it of insulating material, a. threaded metal sleeve it) designed to tit socket a bolt ll. the head ot which a contact tor engaging with the cents tact of the lamp socket, the lower end Qt threaded tor en the nut .42. and l aving a V-shaped galore tor engaging coul wer portion of the i tact spring to in the device. A me al plug e 3 also embedded in he core 39 and connected with the sleeve in by the conductor it. This plug is provided with a V-shaped groove similar in all respects to the groove provided on the belt ll, and adapted to engage contact spring 45. T. portion of the dcv cc also includes a pa r of :uitably shaped conact springs 47 and d8, which are connected respectively with the bolt all and the sleeve 40. These sprin e 1 lug a T7 and 48 are oil?- set at their end portions so as to register apertures in the tlat strips 59 and 5t), .hown in Fig. 5). By virtue o'li engagement thus eli'cctet betweenv springs all, it and strips at), as well as to tween springs 45. 46 and the plug 4:23 and bolt H. the upper and lower portions of the device are quite rigidly secured together, and are not likely to be pulled apart by any ordinary force which mightbe applied. 'n --.;e. The lamp socket comprising a part nail is preferably nude with ior reacting tie condensers i Y the space within the charnlrr surroi'- ling the condensers may be tilled with one ot the welhsnorvn tree-swan paratti such as are cz tei'isively used. in t art.

Although the invention ishere die aeditional torins.

Jr the lower portion of the device incluees to be limited except by thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a lamp socket attachment device, a plug adapted to be inserted in a lamp socket, a multiplate variable condenser, having at least one plate electrically connected with said plug, said plug and con denser being combined to form a rigid, self-contained unitary structure.

2. in a lamp socket attachment device, a plug adapted to be inserted in a lamp socket, a multi-plate ariable condenser having at least one plate electrically connected with said plug and a lamp socket electrically connected with said plug, said plug, condenser and lamp socket being combined to form a rigid self-contained unitary structure.

In a lamp socket attachment device, a plug adapted to be inserted in a lamp socket, a variable condenser comprising a plurality of coaxial plate elements, at least one of said plate elements being electrically connected with said plug, said plug and condenser being combined to form a rigid, seltcontained unitary structure.

4. In a lamp socket attachment device, a

core of insulating material, a plug attached to said core and adapted to be inserted in a lamp socket, a fixed condenser plate mounted on said core and coaxial therewith, said fixed plate being connected with said plug, and a movable condenser plate mounted coaxially with said fixed plate and adapted to cooperate therewith. In a lamp socket attacl'iment device, a core ot insulating material, a plug attached to said core and adapted to be inserted in a lamp socket, a socket attached to said core and adapted to receive an electric lamp, :1 variable plate condenser mounted on said (-c-re, at least one plate of said condenser being electrically connected with said plug 6. In a lamp socket attachment device, a plug adapted to be inserted in a lamp socket, a socket adapted to receive an electric lamp, a variable )l'ate con :lenser, and means including a plate of said condenser for interconnecting said plug and said socket.

7. In a device for completing electrical connections between a power line and asignaling apparatus, the combination of a body portion, a screw plug formed onone end of said body portion and arranged to make connection with a standard lamp socket supplied from power lines, a screw socket carried by the other end of said body portion, a variable plate condenser positioned in said body portion and adjustable from the exterior of said body portion, and a connection from one side of the power line in its passage from said screw plug to said screw socket with said variable condenser, and means for varying the capacity of said condenser for selectively varying the coupling between exterior electrical circuits and said power supply line.

8. In a lamp socket attachment dcvice, a plug adapted for insertion in a standard lamp socket, a member including a condenser, contacting elements for yieldably se curing said plug and said member together, said elements being connected to said plug and said condenser respectively, and means for positively securing said plug and said member together.

0. In a lamp socket attachment device, a plug adapted for insertion in a standard lamp socket, a member including a condenser, contacting elements for yieldably securing said plug and said member together, said elements being connected to said plug and said condenser res )ectively, and a locking screw for positivel y securing said plug and said member together.

1.0. A device for establishing electrical connections between a power supply line and a signaling apparatus com rising in combination a cylindrical mem er, an enlarged body portion for said cylindrical member, a screw plug formed on one end of said onlarged body portion and arranged to be inserted in a standard lamp socket, a screw socket formed on the opposite end of said enlarged body portion, connections between said screw plug and said screw socket, and a plurality of condenser plates arranged concentrically around said enlarged body portion, with one of. said plates connected with one side of the power supply line which connects said screw plug with said screw socket, whereby capacity connection may be established between another of said condenser plates and signal apparatus.

11. A device for establishing connection between a power line and signaling appzn ratus comprising in combination a cylindrical member, an enlarged body portion for said cylindrical member, a screw threaded plug formed on one end of said enlarged body portion and arranged to be inserted in a standard lamp socket, a screw threaded socket formed on the opposite end of said enlarged body portion and adapted to receive a standard incandescent lamp, connections between said screw threaded plug and said screw threaded socket, and a plurality of substantially semi-circular concentrically arranged condenser plates surrounding said central body portion, at least one of said plates being stationary and connected with one side of the power supply line, and another of said condenser plates being slidable in a circular plane and having means for connection to signaling apparatus for coupling said signaling appa ratus capacitively with said power supply line.

12. A device for establishing connections et een gnal re eiving pp rat s and a power supply line, comprising in combination an elongated member, a screw threaded plug on one end of said member, and arranged to engage a standard lamp socket, a screw threaded socket on the opposite end of said member adapted to receive a standard incandescent lamp base, power supply connections between said screw threaded lug and said screw threaded socket, an insulate-d sheathing extending over the central part of said elongated member, and a plurality of semi-circular condenser plates extending around the central part of said elongated member, one of said condenser plates being; movable with respect to another 01"- said condenser plates, said last mentioned condenser plate being connected with one of said power supply connections, and means extending outside of said insulated sheathing for adjustingthe position of said first mentioned condenser plate with respect to said last mentioned condenser plate for variably coupling signaling apparatus with said power supply line.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CLINTON V7. HOUGH. 

